By Kingsley Mamore
Dambai (O/R), Sept 1, GNA – Mr Emmanuel Donkor, President of the Oti Regional Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD), has called for the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the government’s Nkoko Nkitinkiti initiative to enable them to benefit from the economic opportunities associated with poultry production.
He said deliberate measures were needed to ensure that PWDs were not left out of major government agricultural and livelihood interventions aimed at creating jobs, improving household incomes and strengthening food security.
Mr Donkor made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), saying PWDs had the capacity to engage in poultry farming and other agricultural activities when provided with the necessary support, including start-up inputs, technical training and accessible extension services.
He noted that many PWDs in the Oti Region were interested in agriculture and other income-generating activities but were often confronted with challenges such as inadequate capital, limited access to productive resources and difficulties in accessing government support programmes.
He therefore urged the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and other implementing agencies to adopt an inclusive approach in the selection and training of beneficiaries under the Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme.
According to him, the inclusion of PWDs would not only promote social equity but also contribute to the broader objective of reducing poverty and improving the livelihoods of vulnerable groups.
“PWDs should not only be seen as beneficiaries of social protection programmes. We have people with disabilities who have the skills, determination and capacity to run viable businesses if they are given the opportunity and the needed support,” he said.
Mr Donkor appealed to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), traditional authorities and agricultural extension officers to collaborate with disability organisations to identify interested PWDs and support them to participate effectively in the initiative.
He further called for accessible training facilities and information on government agricultural programmes to ensure that PWDs, particularly those in rural communities, could fully understand and take advantage of available opportunities.
He said the GFD was ready to collaborate with government and development partners to facilitate the participation of PWDs in agricultural programmes and ensure that support reached the intended beneficiaries.
Mr Donkor said empowering PWDs through sustainable livelihoods would reduce dependency, enhance their dignity, and enable them to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of their families and communities.
He urged the government to make disability inclusion a key component of all agricultural and economic empowerment programmes to ensure that the national development agenda left no one behind.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah /Kenneth Odeng Adade